Officially opened: Acting Director of Health Dr Leung Ting-hung and Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr York Chow officiate at the Poison Control Network's Inaugural Scientific Symposium.

The Hong Kong Poison Control Network, a multi-disciplinary set-up which enables experts to collaborate in tackling poison-related problems, has been launched to reduce the number of poisoning deaths in the city.

The Department of Health, Hospital Authority and Chinese University set up the network in collaboration with other government departments and academic institutions to enable relevant clinical and public-health services to make concerted efforts in poisoning prevention and control.

Officiating at the network's Inaugural Scientific Symposium today, the Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr York Chow said collaboration among experts is key to tackling poisoning as it is an inherent threat endangering people from all walks of life.

Network structure

The network has a co-ordinating committee, an expert panel and four functional units - the Hong Kong Poison Information Centre at United Christian Hospital, the Poison Treatment Centre at Prince of Wales Hospital, the Toxicology Reference Laboratory at Princess Margaret Hospital, and the Department of Health's Toxicovigilance Section.

The network provides poison information and consultative services to healthcare professionals, poison treatment services, tertiary-level clinical toxicology laboratory services, toxicovigilance, risk communication, publicity and education, as well as professional training.

Acting Director of Health Dr Leung Ting-hung noted poisoning causes an average of 400 to 600 deaths and the hospitalisation of 4,000 to 5,000 people in Hong Kong a year. 

Poison prevention

Noting the network is part of the Government's proactive and co-ordinated approach in poison prevention and control, Dr Leung said the services' effectiveness will be evaluated and additional control strategies will be considered when necessary, taking into account operational experience.

Statistics from six major public hospitals' accident and emergency departments showed that among all poisoning cases they handled, 77% were related to drug (Western and Chinese medicines) poisoning, 6% to household products, 7% to alcohol, 4% to bites and envenomations and 1% to environmental chemicals.